Relief as quake triggers 13ft tsunami...but no casualties

THE world breathed a sigh of relief yesterday after one of the strongest earthquakes on record did not trigger killer tsunamis.

- By Giles Sheldrick

Panic spread across the US, Japan, China and the Philippines as millions were given evacuation orders after an 8.8 magnitude tremor rocked Russia’s east coast.

It was the strongest since 2011 when a 9.1 magnitude quake hit Tohoku, Japan, leaving tens of thousands of people dead.

Yesterday’s seismic event triggered fears of a repeat, sparking an exodus in Hawaii, Alaska and California.

Japan’s Meteorological Agency warned a tsunami had been detected but later downgraded its warning.

Evacuations also took place in Colombia, Ecuador, Indonesia, New Zealand and Peru.

The US Geological Survey said it was the sixth largest quake on record, and the biggest since the 2011 monster which triggered a tsunami that caused the Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Miracle